From: skunk-works-digest-owner@harbor.ecn.purdue.edu
To: skunk-works-digest@harbor.ecn.purdue.edu
Subject: Skunk Works Digest V2 #69
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Precedence: bulk
Skunk Works Digest Tuesday, 2 February 1993 Volume 02 : Number 069
In this issue:
From Air International
Re: Aurora Story
Aurora Story
KH-9/JC-130
Bulk response
Re: Aurora Story
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From: urf@ki.icl.se (Urban F)
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 93 19:07:55 MET
Subject: From Air International
An article in the Feb 93 issue of Air International on hypersonic
vehicles (part 2) deals a lot with NASP and related vehicles, as
well as the principles of supersonic combustion and air breathing
rockets.
In connection with a description of the Russian ramjet/scramjets
launched on SAMs it is mentioned that a lot of resources has been
expended on hypersonic projects since the mid 1980's. There was
one unpowered launch in 1989 and one in 1990, one powered in 1991
and one in 1992. During the first test, ramjet operation started
at Mach 5, maximum speed in scramjet mode was Mach 6 at 28 km and
combustion airflow speed was Mach 3. (On the way down an other
test was performed.)
The Soviet Union seriously persued hypersonic research, one goal
was a "high-Mach" cruise missile, another a combat aircraft to
"match a Mach 12-20 design goal, that would have been preceded by
a research demonstrator weighing approximately 70,000 kg and
designated TA". Involved where the Tupolev and Lyulka design
bureaux.
The writer almost makes us think the M-12 was a practical
solution. An interesting quote: "It is interesting to note that
the D-21 masked a variety of test objectives not least of which
concerned a very unusual form of propulsion that has since found
application elsewhere, frequently seen from another country."
SAPHYRE and SWERVE are also mentioned. On the latter is said:
"Winged and slender with sophisticated trajectory and energy
management, SWERVE has been flying for almost ten years and
routinely explores the Mach 2-14 region following launch by a
classified Sandia Laboratories rocket. It is capable of energetic
manoeuvring and its data is a key to understanding the
capabilities NASP would provide for the military."
- --
Urban Fredriksson urf@icl.se
------------------------------
From: kent@Camex.COM
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 93 13:04:21 EST
Subject: Re: Aurora Story
Sorry, correction on a time:
There was an Aurora story on the BBC World Service at the tail end of
the News Hour program this morning (1300 UTC). Those of you with
shortwave radios or CSPAN BBC audio might want to check out the 2100
UTC (4 pm EST) edition, they often repeat these stories, but I don't
know the cycle on this one.
- --
Kent Borg kent@camex.com or kentborg@aol.com (when it is *working*)
H:(617) 776-6899 W:(617) 426-3577
The Quote that usually appears here will not be seen so that we can bring you
the following message: Camex is collapsing, so any Hot Job offers...
------------------------------
From: kent@Camex.COM
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 93 12:54:22 EST
Subject: Aurora Story
There was an Aurora story on the BBC World Service at the tail end of
the News Hour program this morning (1300 UTC). Those of you with
shortwave radios or CSPAN BBC audio might want to check out the 2100
UTC (5 pm EST) edition, they often repeat these stories, but I don't
know the cycle on this one.
- --
------------------------------
From: kuryakin@bcstec.ca.boeing.com (Rick Pavek)
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 93 10:17:14 PST
Subject: KH-9/JC-130
dean wrote:
>Hmmm... interesting. The last KH-9 was launched about the same time.
>That must have put them out of the space business. I suppose they
>could have used either the JC or HC versions for D-21 missions.
>The MC's belong to the Special Operations folks, so chances are
>they didn't get involved with these more "mundane" missions. :->
Well, the Manned Orbital Laboratory was supposedly going to be the
KH-10, and the KH-11 was, from what I recall, able to dump it's data
digitally to a ground station, so the KH-9 was probably the last to
have capsules to be recovered. At least that's what I recall from
_Deep Black_.
Rick Pavek | Never ask a droid to outdo its program.
kuryakin@bcstec.ca.boeing.com |
Seattle, WA | It wastes your time
| and annoys the droid.
------------------------------
From: George Allegrezza 01-Feb-1993 1300
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 93 13:33:01 EST
Subject: Bulk response
Larry continues the thread about Timberwind:
>>>[. . .] due in part to
>>>secrecy and in part to fear that public outcry against a nuclear-powered,
>>>ground-launched booster would be politically embarrassing to the program.
>>I find it hard to imagine that a program in as much political deep doo-doo as
>>SDI would willingly add to its troubles on the Hill by proposing routine
>>use of an in-atmosphere nuclear rocket.
>I've wondered for a long time if the concerns you mention about such a thing
>are still such a big issue during a nuclear war, and if someone
>might have actually explored such a thing to the development stage. In other
>words such a vehicle would only be used in certain scenarios where it's
>drawbacks didn't matter any longer. Does this sound feasible?
Well, no, once an N-war has started the environment becomes rather unpleasant
rather quickly. However, SDI deployment would have taken place in peacetime,
over a number of years, at significant expense and under intense public
attention/scrutiny. Remember the Christics?
If we postulate, as Aftergood has done, that Timberwind is intended for a
surface-launched ABM interceptor, to be used only when the stuff has hit the
fan, we still have the operational problem of the (many) reactors requiring
maintenance, the ground crews' needs for proficiency training and practice
firing, etc. Still not practical in my view.
>One loose-end that bothers me are those three people badly radiated in
>their automobile, by what appeared to be a nuclear rocket, in Dec. 1980
>near Houston Texas. The so-called Cash-Landrum case.
I only know a little about this case. But even if the event was caused by
a N-rocket research program, that doesn't lead directly to the conclusions
of the FAS and others about a large-scale deployment. Project Pluto got
more than a few research dollars until people thought about the operational
constraints from a purely military perspective.
Note also that Cash-Landrum occurred a few years before the SDI speech and well
before the supposed initiation of Timberwind. Also, an airborne nuclear reactor
might be used for other applications, such as power for a MHD-like propulsion
system, about which Larry probably knows more than anybody, or as a power source
for an airborne directed-energy weapon. In either case, fission products
might be retained aboard the platform. Maybe Brian B. wants to comment?
Rick Pavek writes, on MC-130s:
>Since the MC-130 uses the same Fulton recovery system, I'd presume
>the bird _could_ be used for the purpose of recovering film cannisters,
>but I have no idea if they would have been. Personnel extractions were
>the main purpose.
Is this the same nose-mounted recovery system used by James Bond and Pussy
Galore in "Thunderball"? If so, it was manufactured in Danbury, Connecticut,
where I grew up. The company used to demonstrate it every year at the local
airport, using a target dummy and a P2V. Neat as hell, when you're eight years
old.
Alex (wcsswag@alfred.ccs.carleton.ca) writes re: the CF-105:
>But I believe they were
>planning on using Falcon missiles, and most probably Genies as
>well(no need to worry missile accuracy, on the last one:-)
For the CF-105's primary armament, RCA and Computing Devices of Canada were
teamed to develop the Sparrow II, which had approximately the same performance
targets as the AIM-120 (in 1959), including terminal active radar homing. The
fire control radar for the CF-105 was the largest airborne radar transmitter
ever fitted to an aircraft up to that point. That program died along with the
Arrow.
Changing subjects . . . back to hypersonics.
For those who enjoyed Dennis Jenkins' Aerofax on the Space Shuttle, especially
the preliminary information on early hypersonics programs and Shuttle
precursors, Jenkins has a new book for you. Entitled "Space Shuttle: the
History of Developing the National Space Transportation System", Motorbooks
International, ISBN 0-9633974-0-0, it expands on Jenkins' earlier work, with
over 1000 line drawings and 250+ photographs. There is A LOT on pre-Shuttle
development, lifting body research, and a gold mine of stuff on the Phase A, B,
B', B'', and ASSC Shuttle designs. About the only well-known program that gets
neglected is the Army/JPL Apollo lifting body RV series from Convair, GE, and
Martin. This is frustrating, since LUNEX is mentioned in several places.
There's even a line drawing of a Republic design for the Aerospaceplane program
of the late 1950s. The general progression and layout is very familiar to those
who have read Hallion's "Hypersonic Revolution". As that isn't generally
available, Jenkins' book provides a good substitute, with better artwork :-).
George
George Allegrezza "Nobody can own two NFL teams, even if
Digital Equipment Corporation they are Italian."
Littleton MA USA -- Billy Clyde Puckett, "Semi-Tough"
allegrezza@tnpubs.enet.dec.com
------------------------------
From: kent@Camex.COM
Date: Mon, 1 Feb 93 13:04:21 EST
Subject: Re: Aurora Story
Sorry, correction on a time:
There was an Aurora story on the BBC World Service at the tail end of
the News Hour program this morning (1300 UTC). Those of you with
shortwave radios or CSPAN BBC audio might want to check out the 2100
UTC (4 pm EST) edition, they often repeat these stories, but I don't
know the cycle on this one.
- --
Kent Borg kent@camex.com or kentborg@aol.com (when it is *working*)
H:(617) 776-6899 W:(617) 426-3577
The Quote that usually appears here will not be seen so that we can bring you
the following message: Camex is collapsing, so any Hot Job offers...
------------------------------
End of Skunk Works Digest V2 #69
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